Product certification scheme introduced in 1956called for reliable
testing of a wide variety of products and raw materials for evaluating their
conformity to the requirements laid down in Indian Standards as required for
continuous surveillance of the scheme. Initially services of several independent
laboratories in India were availed for the purpose. With rapid expansion of the
certification scheme, the need for expeditious testing of samples and for
ensuring close conformity to the testing procedures laid down in various Indian
Standards was strongly felt and the organization decided to have its own chain
of laboratories mainly to cater to the needs of Certification Marks Scheme.

In-house testing of samples under Certification Marks Scheme started in 1963 in
BIS HQ in Delhi. Subsequently with the number & variety of samples going up
progressively, systematic expansion of lab activities had to be planned with a
view to ensure availability of testing facilities close to its users, that is,
BIS licensees. It was therefore decided to set up labs at various Regional
Offices as well. To assist the organization in this task, industry, Central and
State Governments contributed generously. Today BIS has four Regional
Laboratories situated in different parts of the country. Simultaneously with the
completion of these projects, the laboratory at HQ was shifted to its present
premises near Delhi at Sahibabad(U.P.). All these five labs were commissioned
with requisite test facilities under central assistance and were fully
operational in their own premises by 1982.

Because of financial constraints with the organization at that time certain
State Govts. came forward for funding the cost of land, building and the
laboratory equipments for setting up Laboratory-cum-Office buildings in state
capitals. Under this scheme laboratories were commissioned at Patna in Bihar and
Bangaluru in Karnataka.

To meet the special requirements of the North-Eastern Region, plywood testing
lab was set up at Tinsukia in Assam state. Subsequently office and lab were
shifted to Guwahati.

BIS Laboratories mainly cater to the needs of BIS certification Marks Scheme and
accordingly tests are carried out on samples generated from the applicants,
licensees operating under the Scheme. Out of more than 1000 products under
Certification Marks Scheme, BIS Laboratories have test facilities for more than
700 products in electrical, mechanical, chemical & microbiological areas.

Percentage share of testing by individual labs for the year 2009-10 is as below:

Major Areas of Testing Activities

Central Laboratory - BIS Central Lab at Sahibabad is the largest amongst
BIS labs and has facilities for diversified products. Details of test facilities
of BIS Central Lab are as under :

Testing of different variety of products involve the use of many kinds of
measuring instruments and equipment. Calibration of all these
instruments/equipment at regular periodicity is part of the Lab Quality System
followed by BIS laboratories.

In view of the large quantum of calibration work involved, in-house calibration
facility has been created at Central Laboratory for the calibration of some of
the instruments. This facility also helps BIS laboratories to verify the test
results without loss of time by repeat in-house calibration as and when
required.

Training of Manpower

From the very beginning of the establishment of BIS laboratories, training is
being provided in testing techniques to the testing persons of BIS licensees,
Applicants, Industries and to the foreign nationals under various International
Training Programmes, besides training to its own testing personnel.

All the testing personnel selected for employment with BIS laboratories undergo
extensive Induction Training Programme covering various aspects of training
including on job training. This training programme covers both theory and
practical aspects of testing and other activities of BIS.

The officials engaged in testing are given regular exposure and training.
Regular interaction at senior management level also takes place with reputed
laboratories.

Refresher courses are also arranged at regular interval for laboratory testing
personnel and officers in-house as well as outside specialized laboratories.

Based on request from BIS licensees and applicants, and State & Central
Government laboratories training programmes are arranged by BIS laboratories on
testing of various products as per Indian Standards.

BIS Central laboratory has been providing training to the students of various
colleges/institutions in the month of May / June every year, thus fulfilling its
social responsibility.

Quality Assurance Activities

Documented procedures are maintained for each important activity of BIS
laboratories. However, to fall in line with the practice recommended by ISO/IEC
Guide 25 and EN 45000 series of standards, BIS Central Laboratory formulated a
Quality Manual as early as 1990. This quality manual has been revised from time
to time considering various requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 including specific
provision for complaints investigations and corrective and preventive measures
to be initiated.

For effective implementation of Quality System, a separate full fledged
Corporate Quality Assurance and Policy Department (CQAPD) headed by a senior
officer and supported by a team of officers to take care of the various
elements of good quality lab practices is functioning at Central Lab under DDGL/Sc.G
(Labs) Secretariat. Appropriate set up has also been established at individual
labs level.

Realizing the importance of precision of test methods, BIS labs have been
participating and organizing proficiency test programmes. Inter-laboratory as
well as intra-laboratory test comparison is very much on the agenda of work of
BIS labs. Guidance for such tests is taken from various established and
internationally accepted documents in the area.

Accreditation of BIS labs

At present five BIS labs are accredited from NABL a Department of Science and
Technology, Govt of India. Details of accreditation can be had from NABL
website (www.nabl-india.org).

BIS Lab Recognition Scheme

BIS is required to take assistance from outside labs to cope with the increasing
work load for which either BIS labs are not equipped or not able to undertake
tasks due to excessive work load.

So far around 129 labs have been recognized under this scheme. This scheme is
purely from the point of view of use for BIS product testing needs for
certification purpose.

BIS laboratory recognition scheme is in line with IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2005
‘General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration
Laboratories.’ Laboratories are initially assessed for their competence in the
areas of approval sought and subsequently surveillance audits are organized to
ensure their continued suitability.

Future Plans

BIS labsare on the path of modernization. Plans have been drawn up to
modernize existing laboratories and also to set up new modern labs base on needs
of the region. Financial allocation for these programmes are available from BIS
own funds. As per direction of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution, a referral lab for Assaying of Gold jewellery is being set up at
SROL.